New Types Of Welding?

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I had a trailer hitch custom welded for me last yr. and when the guy was doing it he pointed a "gun" at the work and just zapped it and it sounded like cooking bacon in a pan and the metal was 1/4" thick and i don't think there was any gas used.  ( could not see any gas bottles)Is this a new type of welding?  I will need to weld mild steel tubing (or possibly chrome moly 4130 if this new type of welding will work) car exhaust tubing and regular metal up to 1/4" thick.
Reply:Sounds like Flux Core wire feed. Not a new technology at all. Great for mild steel, not familiar with its compatibility with chormo. With the right machine it can weld as thick as you want to go. Not as great for thinner stuff.I've done a fair amount of 16ga exhaust tubing with .030 flux core with passable results. Nothing as pretty as a TIG job, and a little more techinque over Gas MIG .023.
Reply:So, why would anyone use MIG over Flux-core?I basically just need to weld engine mounts, framework and exhaust the metal will not be more than 1/4" thick.
Reply:mig is cleaner, can do stainless and alum, and handles thinneer stuff be3tterIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Originally Posted by TxRedneckmig is cleaner, can do stainless and alum, and handles thinneer stuff be3tter
Reply:I'll go GMAW every chance I can get to get out of the wind on clean steel.  No wire-brushing or slag/spatter chipping.  Just weld and paint.
Reply:So what would you recommend if i need to make motor mounts and/or transmission crossmembers---they should be mild steel and no thicker than 1/4".2)Exhaust tubing.3) Race car frames, specifically mild steel tubing and, if flux-core will work with chromemoly 4130.  If chromemoly can only be done by tig, then i will use mild steel.I don't care about how the welds look and i would prefer not to mess with any sort of gas.
Reply:I would prefer to use gmaw=mig.  Witht the proper wire, flux core will do the job.  I am not aware of using fluxcore on 4130, but I suppose it could be done.  Will need to find someone like Zapster who has the experience on race cars or aircraft.  Based on the fact youre doing thinner stuff GMAW would be better, but you could get by with FCAW instead of GMAWIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Originally Posted by Col. ToonSo, why would anyone use MIG over Flux-core?
Reply:Oh yeah thats a good point Mac,I forget that since I dont run flux.  If you run it per cost per job per equal amounts of weld and such you will find the gas shielded solid wire to be cheaper than the flux cored wire.  THen of course theres a gas shielded flux core...not even going to open that can lmaoI personally very happy with stickIf I can do it in the shop I prefer the solid wire, but Ive done the flux.  I know how to do itIF it Catches...Let it Burn
Reply:Yup, flux core can get you in the wallet, that is for sure. I am paying $3.50 to $4.50 per pound on the primo stuff in big spools and around the same for dual shield. I can get the solid wire for $1.35 or so. In other words, I'm paying the same for a 10# spool of f/c as I am for 33# of solid wire...depending on where and what wire, sometimes more for the f/c.  It is expensive, but it has it's uses.
Reply:Tx redneck: i too enjoy stick-7018, 8018, 7024,when i get to weld on thick enough stuff. the rest of the time i try to use mig , solid wire ,sometimes tig, if the job requires it. as for core wire  (innershield , believe it or not , the only time i liked THAT was at Kaiser Steel , way back, 1975- I was doing 1&  3/8ths inch  fillets on rotary kilns , 7/64 wire -29volts, 350 amps . two of us doing that could smoke up the whole bay (room) which was about 100 feet wide X300 feet long , one end open to the Napa River. we did that(smoked up )  in less than 15 minutes , burned about 70 pounds of wire each, per shift .
Reply:talking about that , reminded me , if any you guys (or gals) gonna weld on some thick stuff, try a heating torch on the thick stuff to warm it up , and get rid of any moisture , before starting to weld . it CAN save you a lot of rework , due to massive pin holes . I know , it happened to me at Kaiser steel. then i had to air arc out all the crap, grind it clean & smooth - then start over .